A statement in solidarity with those harmed by Abu Eesa Niamatullah’s misogynistic language

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PLEASE SHARE):

El-Tawhid Juma Circle Mosques (Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Vancouver, Halifax, and Calgary) would like to express their solidarity with all those who have been harmed by al-Maghrib Institute’s Abu Eesa Niamatullah’s sexist “jokes,” regardless of gender-identity, in celebration of International Women’s Day and the vicious sarcasm that followed in which he expressed explicit violence against women. His language harms everyone who is vulnerable to gendered violence and that includes straight male allies.

We are not simply disgusted by his words, but are also concerned by the near lack of clear statements of condemnation from other religious leaders. At the time of the release of this statement, the only unequivocal statement from a religious leader are from Ahmad Kutty of The Islamic Institute of Toronto, otherwise we have only heard the voices of professionals who are also lay community leaders such as Rabia Chaudry and Samar Kaukab Ahmad. Comments on Facebook buried in longer discussions, unspecific statements on the Prophet’s good character, or a few tweets, while welcome, do not suffice to demonstrate censure for his language and concern for those who have been harmed. The vulnerable should not be forced to scour the ground for scraps of support. We do not believe these religious scholars fully grasp that their lack of clear condemnation sends exactly the same message as Abu Eesa’s violent language: You cannot count on your religious communities to keep you safe.

The Prophet of God, alayhi salam, never spoke to women in such a manner. In fact, he explicitly condemned men who used such language toward women. We believe that our beloved Prophet understood that violent language is a form of violence itself and begets physical violence in the community at large. All Muslims must speak up in the Prophet’s name and in the name of an Islam that is safe for all those who lack power and authority in the broader community. We are all called, in our own distinct communities, to uphold the explicit guidance from God to act beautifully in this world and fight oppression. The Prophet, alayhi salam, shared a powerful principle of social justice by commanding us to act when we see wrongdoing. If we cannot do that, then speak out. If we cannot do that, then pray. And prayer, he said, is the weakest form of faith in when combating oppression.